GENESEE COUNTY, MI --Visitors at the county Animal Control Department shelter no longer have to surrender their cell phones at the door, but officials are spelling out the consequences of using them to take unauthorized photos.

Visitors might lose the right to visit the Pasadena Avenue facility in the future.

The new, two-paragraph policy has been in place for just a few weeks and will be reviewed after 45 days, but it is working well so far, said Interim Chief Animal Officer Stepheni Lazar.

The county Board of Commissioners' approved the new approach earlier this month, leading to development of the new cell phone policy, which says phone are allowed but "an individual observed taking an unauthorized photograph with his/her cell phone will be required to leave the facility and is subject to being banned from the kennel areas."

The decision to scrap the cell phone policy eliminates a point of friction between the shelter and visitors and was recommended by a citizen advisory group.

Officials have said the policy was initially put in place to prevent pictures being taken of shelter employees.

The new rule says the chief animal control officer can authorize photos of individual animals in the shelter and says adoptable animals will be photographed by a shelter-designated photographer.

"These photographs, with identifying information, will be placed on the animal shelter page of the county Web site, which will be updated on a regular basis," the policy says. "Individuals or groups may utilize these photographs for appropriate purposes by copying them from the Web site."